my people and my home

I am a grey’s anatomy fan…and just like Kristina I have “a person” but it is more like “people”…I have my “people”. My people are not foreign to this blog…their pictures have graced the pages many a times and their names pop up here and there. Just to refresh, Haley, Shan, and Kel…these are my people and my people came in town this weekend and warmed my heart, touched my belly, and made me laugh – many times.

I remember not too long ago when I would weep for my people…I would weep to be close to them, for them to live across the street from me, for them to be apart of my everyday life. I would let my mind hate this state and hate this town. I would make my Terry believe that my only happiness was in Georgia, right next to my people. I am glad to say God has renewed this place to me. I love my people, but we are better for each other by making footprints in different towns. We bring more wisdom to each other, more to our friendship, and in the end my people bring more to my heart.

As my people left our house yesterday, I was thankful for their presence in my home. My home. Yes, Birmingham is my home. And instead of crying when the left, I smiled that Mike and Cara were outside with Bryson washing cars and asking us to grill out. I smiled that Chelsey is coming for dinner on Wednesday to let us meet her new boy. I smiled that Robyn, Bridges and the rest of our small group form church are coming on Thursday to watch Lost. I smiled that I love our new church…that it feel like home to us. I smiled that Addison would know this place as her home, too – and that she already has friends in our neighborhood waiting for her to come and play. I smiled that my place in this world is perfect. Those girls are my people, but this neighborhood, this town, this state, this is my place – and I love it.

In the midst of this smiling, I wondered when it was I realized this place had become home. And then it dawned on me…a couple of weeks ago, we had Robyn, Bridges and little Evynne over for dinner. They are not only friends from church, they are neighbors and they make me smile. Robyn has a sweet gift of making people feel like you have known them for years…it is refreshing. So we had them for dinner. My Henry-dog about drove them nuts, but they handled it like troopers. As with any other night, Henry was waiting for the end of the meal when he gets to lick our plates. First, I put down my plate, then Terry and then even Robyn puts down her plate. It was so sweet to me. And probably so weird to her…we are officially the weird Tingles. But it was ok. It is so hard sometimes - being real with people you want to get to know so badly. But we were real…I was real. That is when I realized I was home.

I have been in Birmingham for almost 5 years. And for most of four, I fought it. I put on a smile to make acquaintances – not friends. Like I said, I already had my people. But I was wrong. I need community, I need friends, I need a home. My footprints are now permanent here…like I said, I am home.